Hear You Talk, But Talk Is Cheap
by Mac-alicious
Summary: Your words are lovely, Chuck. But they mean nothing if you can't prove them.


Hear You Talk, But Talk Is Cheap

**A/N: **Here's my newest CB oneshot. This is an AU for the end of All About My Brother (1.16) and for the last two episodes of the season. Basically, Serena never made her "murderous" confession, so this is Chuck and Blair coming together in a different way. It's a little OOC or maybe a lot, I don't know. Blair's a bit bitchier than usual and Chuck is very sappy, but that's how it went. So, I hope you enjoy! Read and review, please! Much Thanks! –Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gossip Girl.

**Hear You Talk, But Talk Is Cheap**

Blair was basking in the glory of her defeat of Little J when her phone began to ring. She picked it up to see who was calling. She let out a disgusted groan and tossed her phone back down. She couldn't understand why he was calling her now, of all times. She kept telling herself that if he had wanted to talk to her he had plenty of chances to do so prior to her regaining her rightful place at the top of the social hierarchy. If he was calling to congratulate her, he could leave it in a voicemail. If he was calling to get back into her good graces, she wasn't really up to talking to him—forgiving and forgetting was turning out to be quite hard when it came to her devilish friend.

Blair breathed a sigh of relief when her phone ceased it's ringing and was still on her bedside table. She took a deep breath and returned to her internal celebration. Looking through her bottles of nail polish, she tried to find a shade to fit her current mood. When she found one she liked, she hopped up on her bed to paint her nails. She was on the third nail of her left hand when her phone began to ring again. It startled her and caused her to jerk her usually steady hand—leaving a trail of polish down her finger. She swore lightly under her breath as she leaned over to see who she was blaming for the mishap. _Him_, again.

"Stop calling!" Blair yelled at her phone, which was still ringing and buzzing around her bedside table—a testimate to his stubborn persistence. She picked it up and threw it at the cushioned chair across the room. "Damn it Chuck! Stop calling! I don't want to talk to you. Can't you take the hint?"

Blair was quite aware that she was yelling at an inanimate object and that Chuck Bass could not actually hear her. But if felt good to let it out. Therapeutic, even.

-+-+-+-

Chuck had just returned from his father's bachelor party in Monte Carlo and upon entering his suite he got the strongest urge to call her. The need to hear her voice was excruciatingly overwhelming. He couldn't explain why it was happening now, of all times. He had seen her at school and all that had amounted to was them avoiding each other. Nothing. But now as he returned from an overload of booze and women for his father's last hoo-rah before tying the know, _again_, he wanted to talk to her? It was ridiculous.

Obviously, she didn't want to talk to him. He had figured that out after the third time he had been picked up by her voicemail. If there was one thing Blair hated, though, it was not being connected. Chuck knew she would never turn off her phone, or silence it even. She would also keep it beside her. If he kept calling she would eventually have to pick up, it was against her better nature not to.

His point was proven when on the second ring of his fifth call, Blair's angry voice filled his ears, "What do you want Chuck?"

"To talk to you, Blair." Chuck answered calmly, not rising at her tone.

"I have nothing to say to you Chuck. Unless you've discovered some new, creative way to call me a whore, where in that case, you can save it and at least get a laugh with a couple of your cronies." Blair snapped. "But if you haven't heard, Little J's reign has come to an end. And it might serve you well to save your insult for someone who can't ruin you."

"I'm Chuck Bass. You couldn't ruin me if you tried."

Blair laughed. It sounded so cruel to Chuck's ears, but he supposed it was meant to. "Funny , a few months ago, I would have said the same of myself, but we saw how that turned out didn't we? I found myself betrayed by a person I had given my trust to. Someone I thought wouldn't hurt me the way I had been before. Turns out he didn't, he hurt me _more_ than I had ever been hurt before. I left myself vulnerable, trusting him. A mistake I'll never make again."

"Blair…" Chuck began.

"Can't you take a hint? I'm being perfectly direct, so I know the subtlety can't be lost on you. What do you want from me Chuck?" Blair responded, cutting him off. "Honestly, what are you looking for from me? Because _honestly_ Chuck, I don't have much left to give."

"I _need_ to talk to you Blair," Chuck said. It was the desperation in his voice that kept Blair on the line. "In person, face-to-face. Will you meet me?"

Blair sighed, "I don't think…"

"Just hear me out. If you don't like what I have to say, then you have my permission to throw your drink in my face and storm out—I wouldn't hole it against you," Chuck persuaded.

"Fine," Blair conceded. "The Palace bar. I'll be there in twenty minutes. If you're not there when I arrive, I'm leaving. I think that's reasonable. Twenty minutes, Chuck."

She hung up before Chuck could even respond in the affirmative. He shrugged as he hung up his phone. She always had liked to have the last word.

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When Blair arrived at the bar, Chuck had already nursed down two scotches. He had just ordered a third when Blair claimed the stool next to him. She hadn't even looked at him. She waited for the bartender to finish Chuck's drink before politely ordering her own. She waited for the bartender to clear earshot before she spoke.

"You wanted to talk, so talk, and talk fast because there are so many better things I could be doing with my time."

Chuck took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Blair."

Blair seemed unmoved by Chuck's apology, "Sorry for what? Dragging me out here for no reason? Yeah, I'm sorry about that to."

"No, Blair, you don't understand." Chuck shook his head, "I mean to apologize for everything."

"Everything?" Blair frowned.

"Yes, Blair. _Everything_." Chuck nodded. "I was out of line."

"You're damn right you were out of line." Blair said firmly, but all the anger had drained out. "Am I any of those things you said?"

"No, Blair."

"Is that the way you think of me?"

"No, Blair."

"Then why would you say it?" Blair questioned, the look in her eyes telling Chuck she was desperate for an answer to the question she had since he had spoken those cruel words to her.

Chuck took a moment to compose himself, and think of the right way to say it. When he couldn't put the words, together, he decided it would be best to try and speak from the heart. Who knew there was one in there?

"I was heartbroken Blair." Chuck answered. "Not that it's any excuse. You didn't deserve to be treated the way I treated you. But Blair, you broke my heart."

Blair was stunned silent, so Chuck continued, "I had watched you and Nate fall apart for so long, that when it actually happened I was surprised. Then you turned to me. I couldn't refuse you. You're _Blair Waldorf_. How could I, even if I wanted to? And for the first time I felt something real."

"And then I got back together with Nate," Blair whispered.

"That you did, Blair. I really shouldn't have been surprised that time. It's what you did. You lived in an endless cycle of being with Nate and then not being with Nate. I was just a pit stop along the way. I should have known that, because that's all you should have been: a pit stop along my endless cycle of one night stands."

"But I wasn't a one night stand."

"No, you weren't." Chuck agreed simply.

"What does that mean?" Blair asked, her eyes sad and confused.

"It means that when you returned to Nate, you tore my heart apart. The pain of it killed me. I wanted you to feel just a little bit of the pain that I felt. I thought it would satisfy me, make me feel better. That's why I tipped off Gossip Girl. I didn't think I would be inadvertently losing both you and Nate forever." Chuck lowered his head. "You two are in the only people I've ever really cared about, and I hurt both of you. I'm sorry."

"And what you said at the bar?"

"Wounded pride," Chuck responded. "I wanted you Blair, but not as a last resort. I wanted you to want me, not come to me because Nate had pushed you aside, _again._" He downed the rest of his drink and raised his hand to signal the bartender to bring him another. "I still want that, I think. That's why I wanted to talk to you so badly. I needed to make you understand. I needed to make things right, so that maybe there would be a chance."

Chuck raised his eyes to meet Blair's. She was completely silent and unmoving. Her first movement was to pick up her drink and swallow it in one gulp. She winced as the alcohol burned down her throat, but still called the bartender over to fix her another. She took a deep breath and composed herself, before turning back to Chuck.

"Your words are lovely Chuck, but they mean nothing, if you can't prove them. " Blair replied, beginning to sip off her fresh drink.

"What do you want me to do Blair?" Chuck asked.

"If you have to ask…" Blair trailed off, raising an eyebrow. "It wouldn't mean much, would it?"

"I guess not," Chuck said, a smirk dancing across his lips.

They were quiet while they finished their drinks. Blair took the last sip of her drinks and left the empty glass on the bar. She picked up her purse and stood. Chuck stood with her, his eyes searching hers.

"I want to believe you Chuck. Show me you mean what you say and I can forgive you." Blair said, turning to go.

Chuck stood there, contemplating what to do next. He made a quick decision and followed her. She was already in the lobby by the time he caught up with her. "Blair, wait."

"Yes, Chu—" Blair began.

She was cut off by Chuck's arms coming around her and pulling her flush against him. His lips melded against hers. Her surprised started to fad away and she wrapped her arms around his neck. One of his hands tangled in her hair and he took pleasure in the fact that her perfect curls would be in shambles when they pulled away. Blair's fingers were still clutching his shoulders when they broke the kiss. She wanted to say something but she was still breathless.

Chuck smirked down at her, "I'm in love with you Blair. Can you feel that?"

Blair nodded and pulled him back down for another kiss.

_Spotted: Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass having words over drinks at the Palace Hotel bar. Is Queen B putting her old lover in his place? Or do we see the rekindling of sparks? Just remember B…Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice…You know you love me, XOXO, Gossip Girl_


End file.
